Dispensing package and subassembly therefor

ABSTRACT

A dispensing package has a casing from which packaged articles are partially removed in sequence by a subassembly of a guide support plate, a shorter plate, having a lateral extension through a slot in the casing and with an upturned flange outside the casing, a pair of longitudinally spaced pulleys rotatably mounted on the shorter plate by pins extending upwardly from the shorter plate, and followers mounted on the shorter plate and engaging the guide plate. A cord is secured at one end to the support plate, passed about the pulleys, and secured at its other end to one end of an elastic band connected at its other end to the shorter plate. A pusher rod with an upturned finger at its free end is connected to the cord between the pulleys.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Ricardo Noda 5520 King Arthur Court Apt. 14,

[45] Patented Jan. 26, 1971 [54] DISPENSING PACKAGE AND SUBASSEMBLY [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,061,146 10/1962 Nyerges et al. 22 l /276X 1,086,277 2/1914 Clark 22 l/260X Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney-Claron N. White ABSTRACT: A dispensing package has a casing from which packaged articles are partially removed in sequence by a subassembly of a guide support plate, a shorter plate, having a lateral extension through a slot in the casing and with an upturned flange outside the casing, a pair of longitudinally spaced pulleys rotatably mounted on the shorter plate by pins extending upwardly from the shorter plate, and followers mounted on the shorter plate and engaging the guide plate. A cord is secured at one end to the support plate, passed about the pulleys, and secured at its other end to one end of an elastic band connected at its other end to the shorter plate. A pusher rod with an upturned finger at its free end is connected to the cord between the pulleys.

DISPENSING PACKAGE AND SUBASSEMBLY THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the lnvention This invention relates to a dispensing package, especially a dispensing cigarette package, and relates to a subassembly that when in a casing provides the package for articles, e.g., cigarettes, such that at one time one or more of the articles, preferably the former, can be partly removed and then grasped external of the casing to complete the removal. Of course, the cycle is repeated whenever it is desired to remove another article or set of articles.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art is believed to best illustrated by the three U.S. Patents that are described below. I

U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,354 discloses a cigarette dispensing package in which a feeder arm is pivotally mounted on the front panel of a casing relatively close to one end, while the other end of the arm has a finger that abuts and pushes a cigarette partly out an opening in the top panel of the casing, when the arm is moved about its pivot.

In one embodiment the end of the arm closer to the pivot extends outside the panel and is serrated for good engagement by and for movement by the thumb of a hand of a person who is holding the package with that hand. This produces an arcuate movement of the other end of the pivoted arm to push a cigarette partly out the opening in the top panel.

In another embodiment the serrated end is within the casing at a slot, in which is located a slide with serrations meshing with that serrated end of the arm. A portion of the slide is outside the casing sufficiently for similar engagement and movement by a thumb to move the finger at the other end of the arm in the arcuate path.

The third embodiment has a pin extending through an arcuate slot in the front panel. The pin is mounted on the arm between the pivot and the end with the finger. An external knob on the end of the pin is grasped and moved relative to the casing for the same path of movement of the finger.

in all of these embodiments, a spring is present to return the arm and thus the finger to a position behind the plane that passes through the bottom ends of the cigarettes in the package. The use of this package requires the application of a force either between the pivot axis and the finger on the arm or on the side of the pivot axis opposite to the finger on the arm but at a substantially smaller distance from the pivot axis than the distance from the axis to that finger. Furthermore, the front panel itself must be sufficiently strong to maintain the pivotal mounting without rupturing that panel.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,606,553 discloses a dispensing cigarette package that uses a casing of special construction and an ejector rod that is slidably mounted so as to act against a spring when the rod is moved to partly eject a cigarette'The construction requires a casing with strong end panels so as to mount the rod and the spring, to prevent movement of one end of the spring when it is compressed, and to withstand the impact of the rod when it is released. The bottom panel requires a special construction. The rod extends out a substantial distance from one end panel and is moved beyond the other end panel when partly ejecting a cigarette. The distance of movement of the cigarette equals the distance of movement of the rod. Thus the package differs substantially from a package of cigarettes as made at a cigarette factory.

U.S. Pat. No. l,28l,l52 discloses another package requiring special construction as compared with a factory-fumished package of cigarettes. The casing has a slidable end panel. A pusher plate with an upstanding finger is mounted on the bottom panel. A pin extends from the pusher plate through a slot in the bottom panel and through a plate on the outside of that panel. The enlarged end of the pin is grasped and moved to move the plates, the finger and a cigarette by the same distance. The construction requires manual return.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to a dispensing package comprising a casing and a dispensing subassembly. The casing has top and bottom panels, side panels, and front and rear panels. For this description as a convenient reference it is assumed that the articles are partly removed by operation of the subassembly so as to pass through an opening in the top panel. That opening is adjacent the rear panel and is near the side panel that is closer to a vertical slot in the front panel;

The casing, when the package is a cigarette package, can be constructed like a conventional casing of a factory-packed package, except for the following differences. The front panel has the vertical slot and the top panel has a portion that is removable or made flappable to provide an opening through which the cigarettes will be dispensed. The bottom panel has a filler member mounted on its inside surface to maintain the bottom ends of the cigarette at a plane spaced from that inside surface. The filler member has a recessed corner so that there is no part ofthe filler member in alignment with the opening in the top panel. The front and rear panels are slightly longer and wider than the front and rear panels are slightly'longer and wider than the front and rear panels of a conventional casing of a cigarette package.

The dispensing subassembly has a support plate between the front and rear panels and one of its major surfaces is adjacent and preferably adhered to the side panel that is closer to the vertical slot in the front panel. By the use of followers mounted on a shorter plate above the support plate, the shorter plate is guided by the support when the former is moved relative to the latter so that there is rectilinear movement of the shorter plate. This movement occurs when a flange of the shorter plate but external of the casing is pushed. That flange is at the free end of a lateral extension of the shorter plate. That extension passes through the slot in the front panel of the casing.

A pair of pulleys is on pins that are longitudinally spaced on the shorter plate. The pulleys are rotatable, illustratably by being rotatably mounted on the pins that are rotatable relative to that plate by passing through circular opening. Discs are mounted on the pins on the other side of the shorter plate. These discs are in a pair of facing longitudinal slots in the support plate. When the shorter plate is moved by a thumb of a hand grasping the casing, there is usually a component of the force in the direction of the adjacent side panel. This insures a rolling movement of the discs against the base of the longitudinal further from the flange than the other slot. This rolling action has a lower friction and thus makes it easier to move the shorter plate longitudinally relative to the support plate.

At the same time the pulleys are also rotated but in the opposite direction during this longitudinal movement of the shorter plate. Their rotation is the result of the cord that is connected at one end to the support plate at a transverse plane between the pulleys, that is reeved about the pulleys, and that is connected at its other end to an elastic band connected at its other end to the forward end portion of the shorter plate, i.e., the end portion that has the leading edge with respect to the dispensing movement. That movement moves one of the pulleys away from the end of the cord fixed to the support plate. As the pulley moves it pulls on the cord between the pulleys and beyond. This results in the rotation of both pulleys and the stretching of the elastic band. The fixed end of the band moves with the shorter plate. A rod is connected to the cord between the pulleys. The rod extends in a direction opposite to the direction of the dispensing movement of the shorter plate. The free end of the rod support a finger extending generally normal to the plates.

When the force of the dispensing movement of the shorter plate is removed, the elastic, e.g., rubber band contracts to return the shorter plate to its normal position and this movement, of course moves the pulleys with resultant rotation by the cord that moves to return the rod and the finger to their normal position.

The subassembly preferably includes a thin sheet. It overlies the pulleys and the pins. The thin sheet is partially or somewhat flexible about its longitudinal axis. The sheet is mounted on the support plate in a manner to prevent its longitudinal movement relative to the support plate but to permit a vibrating movement of it normal to the support plate. The thin sheet has a longitudinal slot above the rod secured to the cord and the end ofthe rod is bent to pass through the slot so that the finger on the end of the rod is above the thin sheet.

The thin sheet is constructed with two sets of holes that are in the path of travel of the pins on which the pulleys are mounted. Thus the sets are longitudinally spaced. Instead of these sets of holes the thin sheet can have two set of transversely extending ribs on its undersurface that faces the support plate. The sheet is supported at an elevation such that the pins in the case of the holes momentarily enter the holes as the pins are passing by and then out again to produce a vibration of the thin sheet. This is because the thin sheet is slightly elevated by the pins except when they are above the holes, at which time the sheet drops but insufficient to prevent the pins to continue their movement. A similar vibration occurs in the case that the sheet has the ribs that are abutted momentarily by the pins to raise the sheet, but as soon as a pin passes a rib the sheet falls slightly with the pins close to the sheet or rubbing against the sheet, preferably the former.

This vibration of the sheet jiggles the cigarette being dispensed and the latter acts on the cigarette above in a similar manner so that it will fall more readily onto the subassembly after the dispensed cigarette has been completely removed. By that time the finger has been automatically returned to its nor mal position.

To space the thin sheet a proper distance from the support plate and yet position it for abutment by the pins, lugs are mounted on the end portions of the support plate and the sheet is connected to one of these corner lugs. For example the lugs can be loops of wire secured to the upper major surface of the support plate and an open ended wire hook on one corner portion of the thin sheet can pass loosely through one of the loops.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The dispensing package and the dispensing subassembly of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings by a preferred embodiment of a cigarette dispensing package that could be used initially to package the cigarettes at the factory and later by the smoker to dispense cigarettes, one at a time, from the package as desired.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cigarette package at the time that one cigarette in the package has been partly removed, just before the automatic return of the moved subassembly components, and showing by dotted lines the lefthand portion of the thumb-moveable flange at its normal or returned position.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the package with the front panel removed and the filler member partially broken away.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan of the package with the bottom panel removed and with the filler member shown by phantom lines.

FIG. 4 is a top plan of the dispensing subassembly without the overlying thin sheet and showing the components at their normal position.

FIG. 5 is a top plan, like FIG. 4, but showing the position and condition of the moved components at the completion of the dispensing movement by which a cigarette has been pushed partially out of the package.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the components of the subassembly including the vibratable thin sheet shown in one of its alternative forms of construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The dispensing package of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and it has a casing generally indicated at 10 and a dispensing subassembly generally indicated at 11 in FIGS. 3 through 6.

The casing 10 has front panel 12, rear panel 13, side panels 14 and 15, top panel 16 and bottom panel 17. In FIGS. 1 through 3. casing 10 rests on its side panel 15. The front panel has a vertical slot 18 parallel to and adjacent side panel 15. The top panel has an opening 19 that is adjacent the corner of top panel 16 at which panel 16 is joined to rear panel 13 and side panel 15, i.e., much closer to panels 13 and 15 than to panels 12 and 14. A filler member 20 (FIG. 2) is inside casing 10 and is mounted on bottom panel 17. The filler member 20. as shown in FIG. 3 by phantom lines, has a corner recess 2| adjacent panels 13 and 15. The opening 19 in panel I6 is obtained by a U-shaped weakened or scored line that permits facile breaking along the line to provide a flap 22 that can be closed after complete removal of a cigarette 23. The flap 22 will be moved to the position shown in FIG. I during a dispensing of cigarette 23 by the operation of dispensing subassembly 11. That operation is the result of movement of its thumb-engageable flange 24 while casing 10 is held in the hand with the index finger abutting top panel 16. This dispensing movement is from left to right, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 through 6.

The movement to the right of flange 24 results in a movement in the same direction of a finger (FIG. 2) so that finger 25 abuts an aligned cigarette 23 and pushes that cigarette 23' partly out opening 19. The finger 25 is thus aligned with opening 19. As seen in FIG. 2, finger 25 at its normal or returned position is to the left of the plane passing through the bottom ends of cigarettes 23 that are maintained that greater distance from bottom panel 17 than the distance of finger 25 from panel 17 by filler member 20. The finger 25 is at the recess 21 of filler member 20 so that finger 25 is at a plane passing through member 20 and parallel to the plane passing through the ends of cigarettes 23 and mentioned above.

Referring to FIG. 6, subassembly 11 has a guide support plate 27 with facing longitudinal slots 28 and 29 that are provided by a double bending of longitudinal marginal portions 30 and 31. The outermost part of the marginal portion 31 is shorter than portion 30. Because portions 30 and 31 extend from the one end, the other end or portion 31 is short of the corresponding end of portion 30 and, of course, of the central portion of plate 27. Beyond that end of portion 31 the plate 27 has an upstanding flanged extension 32 that serves a purpose to be described later. Intermediate its ends the marginal portion 31 has a hooked lateral extension 34 over which a looped end of a cord 35 is placed to maintain that end of cord 35 at a fixed position that is intermediate the length of plate 27.

Discs 36 and 37 have upstanding pins 38 and 39, respectively, coaxial with the discs. Each of discs 36 and 37 has diagonally opposite peripheral segments in slots 28 and 29 of plate 27. The axes of discs 36 and 37 and of pins 38 and 39 are maintained in a fixed spaced relationship that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of plate 27. This fixed distance between these axes is due to the passage of pins 38 and 39 through circular holes 40 and 41 in shorter plate 33 and longitudinally spaced. Pulleys 42 and 43 are mounted on pins 38 and 39, respectively, above plate 33 and are maintained on pins 38 and 39 by washers 44 and 45.

The shorter plate 33 has an outline or shape as shown in the drawing so as to reduce weight. The plate 33 has a central elongated slot 46 so that cord 36 which is primarily above plate 33 can pass through plate 33 below which it has one of its end secured to hooked lateral extension 34 of plate 27. Slot 46 is elongated as cord 35 must pass through slot 46 during the movement of plate 33 relative to plate 27. The slot 46'is wider than required for the passage of cord 35 through it, because the greater width desirably also reduces weight of plate 33.

The plate 33 has a lateral extension 47 with the upwardly directed flange 24 at its distal portion. The extension'47 passes through slot 18 of front panel 12 of casing 10 so that flange 24 is outside casing 10 and is parallel to and adjacent panel 12. The flange 24 has parallel serrations on its major surface that face away from panel 12. The serrations 48 provide a surface that minimizes any slipping of a persons thumb across that surface when the thumb is placed against flange 24 and the thumb is moved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, while so engaging flange 24. The plate 33 is thus moved to the right until the proximal part of its lateral extension 47 abuts upstanding extension 32 of plate 27.

From its end secured to hooked extension 34 of plate 27, the cord 35 is reeved around pulley 43 and then around pulley 42 and the other looped end of cord 35 is connected to one end of a piece of rubber band 49 at a plane that is normal to the longitudinal axis of plate 33 and intermediate of pulleys 42 and 43 but substantially closer to pulley 43. That looped end of cord 35, that is connected to band 49, is outside an extension of the path of travel of pulley 42. This is because the other end of band 49 is secured to a loop 50 mounted on plate 33 above longitudinal portion 31 whereas pulleys 42 and 43 have diameters sufficiently small that they do not overlie marginal portions 30 and 31.

Along the reach of cord 35 from pulley 43 to pulley 42 and at a location that is much closer to pulley 42 than to pulley 43, one end of rod 51 is secured to cord 35 for movement with that part of cord 35 toward pulley 43 as flange 24 is moved' to the right for the dispensing operation. The rod 51 extends from this connection in a direction away from pulley 43 and parallel to this reach of cord 35. The end portion of rod 51 away from its connection with cord 35 is bent upwardly and the outermost part is looped in a transverse plane to provide upstanding finger 25 that nonnally is adjacent panel [7 and directly behind one of cigarettes 23, as seen in FIG. 2.

A thin sheet 52 with an elongated slot 53 overlies plates 27 and 33, pulleys 42 and 43, and pins 38 and 39. A corner portion of sheet 52 is loosely held down by extension 32 and the diagonally opposite comer portion is also loosely held down between finger 25 and a transverse member 54 mounted on rod 51 below sheet 52. This arrangement does not prevent vibration of sheet 52 by pins 38 and 39 when they are moved to the right by the movement of flange 24 or are moved automatically to the left when band 49 is able to contract. Of course, when subassembly 11 is in casing longitudinal movement of plate 27 and sheet 52 is prevented by top panel 16 and bottom panel 17 of casing 10. Sets of holes 60 and 61 in alignment with the path of travel of pin 38 and pin 39, respectively, are in sheet 52. Normally these pins lightly abut sheet 52 and thus pass into and out of these holes during the movement of plate 33, pins 38 and 39, etc. to the right during the dispensing operation and to the left during the automatic return. This movement causes sheet 52 to vibrate.

When package's casing is held in the right hand with the thumb on flange 24, the index finger abutting panel 16, and the other fingers on rear panel I3, the movement of the thumb to the right (assuming held in front of the person to be seen as seen in FIG. 2) and flange 24 with its causes movement to the right of plate 33 and thus pulleys 36 and 37. This increase the distance from the fixed end of cord 35 at flange 34 to pulley 43 so that cord 35 about pulley 43 is pulled toward hooked extension 34 and this rotates pulleys 43. At the same time cord is being pulled about pulley 42 that is thereby also rotated. However, the other end of cord, i.e., the end that is connected to band 49 remains basically stationary. This is because the distance between the connection and pulley 42 is decreasing. At the same time, the other end of band 49 is being moved by virtue of its connection to plate 33. The cord 35 is kept taut. As a result, band 49 is stretched.

As soon as the thumb is removed from flange 24, band 49 will contract to its normal length and this contraction pulls plate 33 to the left until it reaches its normal position at which disc 37 abuts hooked extension 34. During this movement to the left, pulley 42 is moving further away from the connection between cord 35 and band 49, and this causes a rotation of pulleys 42 and 43 along with the movement of rod 51 and finger 25 toward bottom panel 17. Upon the completion of this automatic return of the subassembly to its normal condition, finger 25 is again behind that plane that passes through the ends of cigarettes 23 still in the casing 10.

When the dispensed cigarette is to be completely removed, the end portion outside casing 10 can be grasped by fingers, usually of the other hand unless the package is shifted in the hand holding the package during the dispensing operation. Such shifting may cause the dispensed cigarette 23 to slide back into casing I0. However manual removal is not necessary to complete the acquisition of the cigarette from the package. After the dispensing operation as described, the package can be lifted up to the face with that same hand holding the package and the cigarette is then placed between the lips followed by withdrawal of the package while the lips retain the cigarette. It is important to note that this oral removal can be easily accomplished while the thumb of that hand is retaining flange 24 at the right so that finger 25 still abuts partly dispensed cigarette 23. At that time it is impossible for that cigarette 23 to fall or slide back into casing 10.

From the foregoing it is seen that the package has a dispenser such that the package can be held in one hand for the entire operation of taking a cigarette from the package and placing it between the lips. This is especially convenient and advantageous when driving a vehicle and the cigarette is desired for smoking. Also this advantageous package is hygienic because the cigarette can be easily removed from the package without any contact with the hands that may be dirty or greasy.

When the dispensed cigarette 23 has been completely removed and finger 25 has been automatically returned to its normal position in alignment with filler member 20, another cigarette 23 moves down onto sheet 52 and the dispensing cigarette package is ready for another dispensing cycle.

It is to be noted also that x and 2x appear on FIG. 5. This is to show that because of the combination of some components of subassembly 11 and their nature, the movement of flange 24 a distance of x to the right from its normal position (FIG. 4 and partly shown by dotted lines on FIG. 5) to the maximum dispensing position (FIG. 5) cause a movement of finger 25 for a distance of 2):. This substantial increase of movement is a real advantage. It means that a relatively small movement of the thumb accomplishes a sufficient movement of the cigarette for it to be readily grasped orally or manually for completion of its removal,

The construction of the dispensing assembly of the present invention is such as to provide a very compact dispensing cigarette package that can use a present cigarette package's causing with a slight change of some dimensions but without any requirement to change the material used for the purpose of increasing strength and rigidity. Because plate 27 is adjacent to and preferably adhered to side panel 15 and abuts panels 16 and 17 at its ends, plate 27 provides the necessary strength to that part of casing 10, Furthermore, any inward force by the thumb against flange 24 results in the pushing of discs 36 and 37 against the base of slot 28, i.e., against flanged marginal portion 30 of plate 27, will not adversely affect the easy movement of plate 33 to the right. As a matter of fact it will ensure the movement will be with rolling contact rather than sliding contact so that friction is reduced. This good contact also ensures a rectilinear motion of finger 25. During this good rolling contact while the thumb is moving flange 24 to the right for dispensing, discs 36 and 37 rotate counterclockwise (as viewed in FIG. 4), whereas pulleys rotate clockwise.

While the thumb is pushing flange 24, the index finger abuts the corner of casing where panels l2, l5 and 16 are joined. The comers of the casing are stronger than other areas of the casing. Furthermore, underneath this comer is a comer of plate 27 and its rigidity prevents distortion of casing 10 as the thumb is moved towards the index finger that is required to prevent movement of casing and plate 27 concomitantly with the movement of plate 33. Otherwise, there be no relative movement of plates 27 and 33 as required for the cigarette dispensing.

Many variations or modifications of the illustrative preferred embodiment of the invention will be suggested to one of ordinary skill in this art from the foregoing disclosure and the accompanying drawings. For example, pins 38 and 39 could be mounted on plate 33 without passing through it and instead of discs 36 and 37 there could be followers rotatably mounted on other pins that would extend downwardly from plate 33. These followers would engage guides that could be slots 28 and 29 or could be slots along vertical sides of a longitudinal rib on plate 27. Of course, discs 36 and 37 in the disclosed embodiment serve as followers.

We claim:

1. An article of manufacture, that is useful as a dispensing subassembly of a dispensing package of products to be removed from the package at least one at a time to a partial extent by the operation of the subassembly, which comprises:

a guide support plate having guides extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support plate;

a shorter plate mounted on said support plate and having an elongated slot extending in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shorter plate and a lateral extension beyond the adjacent longitudinal margin of said shorter plate;

follower means mounted on said shorter plate and engageable with said guides of said support plate during movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate to insure said movement in a rectilinear path that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support plate;

a pair of pins mounted on said shorter plate with the axes of said pins being spaced a fixed distance from each other in a plane parallel to the direction of movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate and with the pins having at least a portion extending from said shorter plate in a direction away from said support plate;

first and second pulleys mounted on said portions of said pins for rotation of said pulleys about their axes;

an elastic band connected at one end to said shorter plate;

a cord having one end secured to said support plate, passed through said elongated slot of said shorter plate, reeved about said first pulley and then about said second pulley with a reach of said cord from said first pulley to said second pulley, and having the other end connected to the other end of said elastic band;

a rod connected at one end to said cord at said reach and extending parallel to the path of movement of said shorter plate and away from said first pulley; and

a finger mounted on the distal end portion of said rod and extending upwardly away from said plates, whereby the application on said lateral extension of said shorter plate of a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support plate will move said shorter plate relative to said support plate in one direction to produce a corresponding amount and direction of movement of the axes of said pulleys along with rotation of said pulleys about their axes, and a greater movement in that direction of said cord at the reach and of said finger, and a stretching of said elastic band so that upon the release of that force said stretched band will contract to reverse automatically the rotation of said pulleys and the direction of movement of said finger, of the reach portion of said cord, and of said shorter plate to their positions previous to the application of the force.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein:

said guides of said support plate are a pair of facing guide slots at the longitudinal margins of said support plate;

said shorter plate has a pair of holes spaced in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shorter plate;

said pins extend through said holes of said shorter plate; and

said follower means comprises a pair of discs mounted on said pins between said support plate and said shorter plate, each of said discs having diagonally opposite peripheral segments in said facing guide slots.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 2 wherein:

said lateral extension of said shorter plate has an upwardly directed flange at its distal portion;

said cord is secured to said support plate at a plane transverse to said support plate and passing between said pulleys and closer to said first pulley than said second pulley; and said elastic cord being connected to said shorter plate at a position closer to said first pulley than said second pulley and at a plane passing transversely of said shorter plate outside a pair of planes transverse of said shorter plate and passing through said pins.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 3 and further including a thin sheet having at least some degree of flexibility about its longitudinal axis, said sheet overlying said pins and said pulleys and being mounted on said support plate in a manner to be vibrated by said pins during movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate, and said sheet having a longitudinal slot above said rod except forthe rods distal end portion that extends upwardly through said slot of said sheet to posi' tion said finger above said sheet.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4 wherein:

said support plate has an upstanding flanged extension at a comer portion diagonally of the comer portion above which said finger normally is after automatic return, said upstanding extension holding one comer of said thin sheet loosely against movement away from said support plate;

said rod having a transverse member mounted on it below said thin sheet for retaining said thin sheet between said transverse member and said finger; and

said thin sheet has two sets of holes in the path of travel of said pins for momentary slight entry and then exit from said holes during the movement of said pins relativeto said sheet and said support plate so as to provide said vibration of said sheet.

6. A dispensing package for products as an article of manufacture comprising:

the article of manufacture of claim 1; a basing having side panels;

a front panel with a vertical slot parallel to and adjacent one of said side panels;

a rear panel;

a top panel having a portion constructed to provide an opening that is adjacent the corner of said top panel at which said top panel is joined to said rear panel and said side panel that is adjacent to said vertical slot in said front panel, said opening being sufficiently large for removal at one time of at least one of said products through it;

a bottom panel; and

a filler member in said casing and mounted on said bottom panel, said filler member having a comer recess that is in alignment with said opening in said top panel, said subassembly being mounted inside said casing with a part of said lateral extension of said shorter plate extending through said vertical slot in said front panel, with said support plate parallel and adjacent to said one side panel that is adjacent to said vertical slot, and with said finger at its normal position being in the casing adjacent said bottom panel at said recess of said filler member and in alignment with said opening of said top panel.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein:

said guides of said support plate are a pair of facing guide slots at the longitudinal margins of said support plate;

shorter plate has a pair of holes spaced in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shorter plate;

said pins extend through said holes of said shorter plate; and

said follower means comprises a pair of discs mounted on said pins between said support plate and said shorter plate, each of said discs having diagonally opposite peripheral segments in said facing guide slots, and wherein said article of manufacture includes products and said products are cigarettes extending parallel to one another and between said top panel and either said finger or said filler member.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein;

said lateral extension of said shorter plate has an upwardly directed flange at its distal portion and parallel to and adjacent said front panel;

said cord is secured to said support plate at a plane transverse to said support plate and passing between said pulleys and closer to said first pulley than said second pulley; and

said elastic cord being connected to said shorter plate at a position closer to first pulley than said second pulley and at a plane passing transversely of said shorter plate outside a pair of planes transverse of said shorter plate and passing through said pins.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 and further including a thin sheet having at least some degree of flexibility about its longitudinal axis, said sheet overlying said pins and said pulleys and being mounted on said support plate in a manner to be vibrated by said pins during movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate, and said sheet having a longitudinal slot above said rod except for the rods distal end portion that is bent and extends upwardly through said slot of said sheet to position said finger above said sheet, and wherein the ends of said support plateare closely adjacent said top and bottom panels of said casing.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein: said support plate has an upstanding flanged extension at a comer portion diagonally of the comer portion above which said finger normally is after automatic return, said upstanding extension holding one corner of said thin sheet loosely against movement away from said support plate; said rod has a transverse member mounted on it below said thin sheet for retaining said thin sheet between said transverse member and said finger; and said thin sheet has two sets of holes in the path of travel of said pins for momentary slight entry and then exit from said holes during the movement of said pins relative to said sheet and said support plate so as to provide said vibration of said sheet. 

1. An article of manufacture, that is useful as a dispensing subassembly of a dispensing package of products to be removed from the package at least one at a time to a partial extent by the operation of the subassembly, which comprises: a guide support plate having guides extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support plate; a shorter plate mounted on said support plate and having an elongated slot extending in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shorter plate and a lateral extension beyond the adjacent longitudinal margin of said shorter plate; follower means mounted on said shorter plate and engageable with said guides of said support plate during movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate to insure said movement in a rectilinear path that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support plate; a pair of pins mounted on said shorter plate with the axes of said pins being spaced a fixed distance from each other in a plane parallel to the direction of movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate and with the pins having at least a portion extending from said shorter plate in a direction away from said support plate; first and second pulleys mounted on said portions of said pins for rotation of said pulleys about their axes; an elastic band connected at one end to said shorter plate; a cord having one end secured to said support plate, passed through said elongated slot of said shorter plate, reeved about said first pulley and then about said second pulley with a reach of said cord from said first pulley to said second pulley, and having the other end connected to the other end of said elastic band; a rod connected at one end to said cord at said reach and extending parallel to the path of movement of said shorter plate and away from said first pulley; and a finger mounted on the distal end portion of said rod and extending upwardly away from said plates, whereby the application on said lateral extension of said shorter plate of a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support plate will move said shorter plate relative to said support plate in one direction to produce a corresponding amount and direction of movement of the axes of said pulleys along with rotation of said pulleys about their axes, and a greater movement in that direction of said cord at the reach and of said finger, and a stretching of said elastic band so that upon the release of that force said stretched band will contract to reverse automatically the rotation of said pulleys and the direction of movement of said finger, of the reach portion of said cord, and of said shorter plate to their positions previous to the application of the force.
 2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein: said guides of said support plate are a pair of facing guide slots at the longitudinal margins of said support plate; said shorter plate has a pair of holes spaced in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shorter plate; said pins extend through said holes of said shorter plate; and said follower means comprises a pair of discs mounted on said pins between said support plate and said shorter plate, each of said discs having diagonally opposite peripheral segments in said facing guide slots.
 3. The article of manufacture of claim 2 wherein: said lateral extension of said shorter plate has an upwardly directed flange at its distal portion; said cord is secured to said support plate at a plane transverse to said support plate and passing between said pulleys and closer to said first pulley than said second pulley; and said elastic cord being connected to said shorter plate at a position closer to said first pulley than said second pulley and at a plane passing transversely of said shorter plate outside a pair of planes transverse of said shorter plate and passing through said pins.
 4. The article of manufacture of claim 3 and further including a thin sheet having at least some degree of flexibility about its longitudinal axis, said sheet overlying said pins and said pulleys and being mounted on said support plate in a manner to be vibrated by said pins during movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate, and said sheet having a longitudinal slot above said rod except for the rod''s distal end portion that extends upwardly through said slot of said sheet to position said finger above said sheet.
 5. The article of manufacture of claim 4 wherein: said support plate has an upstanding flanged extension at a corner portion diagonally of the corner portion above which said finger normally is after automatic return, said upstanding extension holding one corner of said thin sheet loosely against movement away from said support plate; said rod having a transverse member mounted on it below said thin sheet for retaining said thin shEet between said transverse member and said finger; and said thin sheet has two sets of holes in the path of travel of said pins for momentary slight entry and then exit from said holes during the movement of said pins relative to said sheet and said support plate so as to provide said vibration of said sheet.
 6. A dispensing package for products as an article of manufacture comprising: the article of manufacture of claim 1; a basing having side panels; a front panel with a vertical slot parallel to and adjacent one of said side panels; a rear panel; a top panel having a portion constructed to provide an opening that is adjacent the corner of said top panel at which said top panel is joined to said rear panel and said side panel that is adjacent to said vertical slot in said front panel, said opening being sufficiently large for removal at one time of at least one of said products through it; a bottom panel; and a filler member in said casing and mounted on said bottom panel, said filler member having a corner recess that is in alignment with said opening in said top panel, said subassembly being mounted inside said casing with a part of said lateral extension of said shorter plate extending through said vertical slot in said front panel, with said support plate parallel and adjacent to said one side panel that is adjacent to said vertical slot, and with said finger at its normal position being in the casing adjacent said bottom panel at said recess of said filler member and in alignment with said opening of said top panel.
 7. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein: said guides of said support plate are a pair of facing guide slots at the longitudinal margins of said support plate; shorter plate has a pair of holes spaced in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shorter plate; said pins extend through said holes of said shorter plate; and said follower means comprises a pair of discs mounted on said pins between said support plate and said shorter plate, each of said discs having diagonally opposite peripheral segments in said facing guide slots, and wherein said article of manufacture includes products and said products are cigarettes extending parallel to one another and between said top panel and either said finger or said filler member.
 8. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein; said lateral extension of said shorter plate has an upwardly directed flange at its distal portion and parallel to and adjacent said front panel; said cord is secured to said support plate at a plane transverse to said support plate and passing between said pulleys and closer to said first pulley than said second pulley; and said elastic cord being connected to said shorter plate at a position closer to first pulley than said second pulley and at a plane passing transversely of said shorter plate outside a pair of planes transverse of said shorter plate and passing through said pins.
 9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 and further including a thin sheet having at least some degree of flexibility about its longitudinal axis, said sheet overlying said pins and said pulleys and being mounted on said support plate in a manner to be vibrated by said pins during movement of said shorter plate relative to said support plate, and said sheet having a longitudinal slot above said rod except for the rod''s distal end portion that is bent and extends upwardly through said slot of said sheet to position said finger above said sheet, and wherein the ends of said support plate are closely adjacent said top and bottom panels of said casing.
 10. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein: said support plate has an upstanding flanged extension at a corner portion diagonally of the corner portion above which said finger normally is after automatic return, said upstanding extension holding one corner of said thin sheet loosely against movement away from said support plate; said rod Has a transverse member mounted on it below said thin sheet for retaining said thin sheet between said transverse member and said finger; and said thin sheet has two sets of holes in the path of travel of said pins for momentary slight entry and then exit from said holes during the movement of said pins relative to said sheet and said support plate so as to provide said vibration of said sheet. 